Storage and dispensing system for shopping carts

ABSTRACT

A storage and dispensing system for shipping carts which utilizes an elongated product display shelf gondola of the type found in supermarkets and the like modified to include opposite open and closed ends and an elongated inner compartment therein for receiving a plurality of such shopping carts through said open end with powered conveyor means disposed within the gondola having spaced drive portions individually engageable with the shopping carts and including control means operationally associated with the conveyor means for dispensing said shopping carts one at a time from the open end of the gondola incident to the actuation of the control means.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Woody Bradley 7344 N. Edythe Circle,Winton, Calif. 95388 [21 App]. No. 770,042

[22] Filed Oct. 23, I968 [45] Patented Feb. 9, 1971 [54] STORAGE ANDDISPENSING SYSTEM FOR SHOPPING CARTS 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. [52] US.Cl 186/1, 214/161 [51] Int. Cl. E04h 3/04 [50] FieldolSearch 186/1,1.1,1.1C;214/16.1, 16.16A&B, 16.16; 198/37; V V 221/13 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,743,827 5/1956 Winokur 186/1 2,791,291 5/1957Grondona 186/1 3,219,205 11/1965 Grant 2l4/l6.l FOREIGN PATENTS 403,2446/1966 Switzerland 186/ 1 Primary ExaminerHarvey C. HomsbyAttorney--l-luebner & Worrel ABSTRACT: A storage and dispensing systemfor shopping carts which utilizes an elongated product display shelfgondola of the type found in supermarkets and the like modified toinclude opposite open and closed ends and an elongated inner compartmenttherein for receiving a plurality of such shopping carts through saidopen end with powered conveyor means disposed within the gondola havingspaced drive portions individually engageable with the shopping cartsand including control means operationally associated with the conveyormeans for dispensing said shopping carts one at a time from the open endof the gondola incident to the actuation of the control means.

STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR SHOPPING CARTS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The mobile shopping baskets or carts commonly employed insupermarkets and other retail stores have presented onerous problems instoring and conveniently dispensing such baskets and carts to individualcustomers. Usually, the carts are merely parked in the aisles betweenthe product display islands or gondolas near the entrance of the storeswhich consume valuable floor space that could be more profitablyemployed for additional products, displays or the like. The cartspresent a safety hazard by their obstruction of the aisles to customertraffic and require continual attention by the store s employees tomaintain them in some semblance of ordered arrangement. The carts aredisposed in successively longitudinally nested relation in order toconserve space but frequently become so tightly wedged that separationis virtually impossible without the use of appropriate prying tools.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved storage and dispensing system forshopping carts.

Another object is to provide such an improved storage and dispensingsystem which enables a plurality of shopping carts to be stored withoutconsuming any usable floor space within the store so as to maintain theaisles completely free of obstructions to customer traffic.

Another object is to provide a storage and dispensing system forshopping carts of the character described which utilizes the compartmentwithin'the existing product shelf display islands or gondolas within thestore.

Another object is to provide a storage and dispensing system forshopping carts which is capable of automatically dispensing one cart ata time from the product display gondola.

Another object is to provide a storage and dispensing system forshopping carts which stores the carts in longitudinally closely spacednonwedging relation to insure their individual discharge from thegondola.

Another object is to provide a storage and dispensing system forshopping carts wherein the storage compartment within the gondola may beeasily and conveniently loaded with a plurality of carts and whichrequires only a minimum of attention until the compartment is emptiedand ready for reloading.

Another object is to provide a storage and dispensing system forshopping carts which employs an endless powerdriven conveyor within thegondola having a plurality of spaced drive fingers individuallyengageable with the shopping carts disposed therein and a controlmechanism operationally associated therewith which is actuatable by thecustomers successively to dispense the carts one at a time from thestorage gondola.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will subsequentlybecome more clearly apparent upon reference to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anelongated product display shelf, island or gondola in an existinginstallation modified to include the shopping cart storage anddispensing system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged longitudinal vertical section, takencentrally through the gondola and storage and dispensing system of FIG.1, showing a plurality of shopping carts disposed therein with portionsbroken away for illustrative convenience.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged transverse vertical section through thegondola and storage and dispensing system, taken generally along theline 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the drive mechanism for the cart dischargeconveyor.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat reduced longitudinal vertical section through amodified form of the storage and dispensing system of the presentinvention which is partially recessed within the floor in order furtherto conserve space within the shelf gondola and which is particularlyadapted for new store installations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more particularly tothe drawings, a storage and dispensing system for shopping carts isgenerally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and is disposed withinthe inner compartment 11 of an elongated product display shelf, islandor gondola 12 of the type found in most supermarkets, retail stores andthe like. The gondola provides an upper wall 14 which is supported byspaced substantially upright parallel sidewalls 16 which circumscribethe storage compartment II. The gondola further includes opposite openand closed ends 17 and 18, respectively, with the open end having asubstantially rectangular cart loading and discharge opening 20 formedtherein. A plurality of product display shelves 22 are supported by theside, end and upper walls of the gondola with the gondola modified fromits usual form by the removal of the shelves at the open end 17 thereofto provide access to the cart storage compartment 11. The gondola isdisposed upon a support surface 23 which provides a floor portion 24 forthe storage compartment. 1

The storage and dispensing system 10 of the present invention provides apair of elongated channular cart wheel guide tracks 30 which are mountedby suitable fasteners, not shown, in spaced substantially parallelrelation upon the floor 24 of the storage compartment 11 within theshelf gondola 12. An elongated cart discharge conveyor chain 32 havingupper and lower runs 33 and 34, respectively, is disposed substantiallycentrally of the guide tracks in spaced parallel relation therewithimmediately above the floor 24 of the storage compartment. The conveyorchain is mounted for circuitous movement about a pair of oppositelyspaced forward and rearward guide sprockets 35 and 36, respectively. Theforward sprocket is mounted for rotation on a shaft 37 supported by apair of spaced brackets 38 secured to the floor closely adjacent to thecart loading and discharge opening 20 of the gondola. The rearward guidesprocket 36' is similarly mounted on one-half of an axially dividedrotatable shaft 40 joumaled in a pair of spaced brackets 42 secured tothe floor adjacent to the closed end 18 of the gondola. A plurality ofidler sprockets and supporting bracket assemblies 45 are mounted on thefloor in longitudinally spaced relation between the opposite ends of thegondola in supporting relation to the upper run 33 of the conveyor chain32. The chain further includes a plurality of spaced, outwardly extendedcart driving fingers 47.

The conveyor chain 32 is driven by an electric motor which is mounted insuspended relation from the upper wall 14 of the gondola 12 by aplurality of mounting bolts 52. The motor has a drive pulley 54 disposedin coplanar relation with a somewhat larger diameter speed reducingpulley 55 mounted on a shaft 56. The shaft is rotatably joumaled in abracket 57 secured to the closed end wall 18 of the gondolasubstantially midway between the floor 24 and the upper wall 14. AV-belt S8 is trained about the pulleys 54 and 55. A substantiallysmaller diameter pulley 60 is mounted in axially spaced relation to thepulley 55 on the mounting shaft 56. The pulley 60 is disposed incoplanar relation with a larger diameter further speed reducing pulley62 mounted in axially spaced relation with respect to the rearward guidesprocket 36 on the other half of the drive shaft 40. A V-belt 64 istrained about the pulleys 60 and 62 to continue transmission of thedrive from the motor 50. A magnetic clutch 66 is mounted on the shaft 40between the drive pulley 62 and the drive sprocket 36 and is nonnallyheld in an open position to interrupt the drive from the pulley 62 tothe sprocket 36.

The electric motor 50 is continually running during operation of thestorage and dispensing system with the magnetic clutch 66 being operatedto actuate the conveyor chain 32 to discharge shopping carts from thegondola. An electrical circuit is provided between a customer actuatingswitch 70 mounted on the open end 17 of the gondola adjacent to the cartloading and discharge opening 20. Such switch is connected to themagnetic clutch 66 initially to energize the same for connecting thedrive from the motor to the drive sprocket 36. A limit switch '72 isprovided in the circuit and is mounted on the upper wall M of thegondola in depending relation within the storage compartment 11 forengagement by the next succeeding shopping cart to be dispensed fordeenergizing the magnetic clutch to insure that only one cart at a timeis dispensed from the gondola. A flexible camming strap 73 is disposedin covering relation to the limit switch for sliding engagement with thecarts during their travel past the switch for discharge through theopening in the gondola.

As best shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of conventional shopping carts 75are adapted to be disposed within the storage compartment 1 l of theshelf gondola 12. The carts individually include an upper handle portion76, a forwardly tapering basket portion 77, and a lower support frame 78having sets of forwardly and rearwardly disposed wheels 80 and 82,respectively. The forward wheels are conventionally of the sw velingcaster type whereas the rear wheels are rotatably m )unted on rigidbrackets 85 secured to the frame. A cart bumper bar 87 is transverselyextended across the storage compartment 11 immediately ahead of theconveyor drive belts 58 and 64 and their respective mounting pulleys inorder to preclude engagement of the carts with the drive mechanism fromthe motor 50.

A second form of the storage and dispensing system is shown in FIG. 4.This form is particularly adapted to original installation into a newstore where the storage compartment can be initially recessed into thefloor to conserve additional space within the gondola. As shown, thisform has a lower par tially recessed storage compartment 90 with anupwardly inclined cart delivery portion 91. A conveyor chain 92 and amotor-driven reduction drive mechanism 94 are provided which aresubstantially identical to that of the first form except for the need ofdividing the conveyor chain into two segments individual to theangularly related portions of the storage compartment.

OPERATION The operation of the described embodiments of the subjectinvention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarizedat this point. The storage compartment 1 E of the shelf gondola K2 ismanually loaded by successively inserting the shopping carts 75 throughthe cart loading and discharge opening 20 in the open end 17 thereof.During such loading, the wheels 80 and 82 of the carts are received andguided through the channular guide tracks with the front end of theirframe 78 engaging the fingers 47 on the upper run 33 of the conveyorchain 32. During such insertion of the carts, the conveyor chain ispermitted to freewheel and the upper run thereof motivated in adirection from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 2. The fingers arespaced to insure nesting of the successively inserted shopping carts butpreclude wedging of the carts to insure ease of separation andsubsequent individual discharge from the gondola.

After the storage compartment 11 is completely filled with the shoppingcarts 75, the electric motor 50 is energized by a conventional on," offswitch, not shown, and is permitted continually to run throughout thedispensing operation. Inasmuch as the magnetic clutch 66 is normallyopen, the motor can, of course, be initially energized at any time priorto or during the loading operation since the magnetic clutch permits thedescribed freewheeling of the conveyor chain for unrestricted loadingand reverse movement of the chain toward the closed end wall 18 of thegondola.

When a customer desires to have a shopping cart discharged from thegondola, the customer switch 74) on the open end 17 of the gondola ispressed to energize the magnetic clutch 66 for transmitting the drivefrom the electric motor 50 to the drive sprocket 36. Upon suchactuation, the upper run 33 of the conveyor chain 32 is motivated in adirection from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 2, with the fingers 47thereon carrying the shopping carts toward the open end 17 of thegondola. The outermost can is discharged outwardly through the dischargeopening 20 so that the handle portion 76 thereof is con venientlyaccessible to the customer for full extraction of the cart from thestorage compartment. Concurrently, the next succeeding cart is motivatedtoward the opening until its handle portion 76 engages the camming strap73 and the limit switch 72 which is depressed thereby to deenergize themagnetic clutch 66 for interrupting the drive from the .motor to theconveyor chain 32. The momentum of the drive mechanism and the conveyorchain carries the succeeding cart past the limit switch so that theelectrical system is preconditioned for a subsequent cart dischargingsequence upon reactivation of the customer switch 70.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the structure ofthe present invention provides an improved storage and dispensing systemfor shopping carts which, by its utilization of the compartment withinthe existing shelf gondolas, does not consume any usable floor spacewithin the store and which is capable of automatically dispensing onecart at a time from the gondola to the customers. The shoppingcarts areconveniently manually loaded within the gondola in closely spaced,nonwedging relation with the system requiring a minimum of attentionbetween the loading operations. The system is readily adapted toexisting shelf gondolas and alternatively may be recessed beneath thefloor of the store in new store installations.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what areconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices and apparatus.

lclaim:

l. A storage and dispensing system for shopping carts comprising anelongated product display shelf gondola as utilized in supermarkets andthe like having opposite open and closed ends and an elongated innercompartment extended therebetween for receiving a plurality of suchshopping carts therein through said open end of the gondola; a conveyordisposed within the gondola having an elongated endless chain providingpredetermined upper and lower runs; a plurality of longitudinally spacedfingers on said chain individually engageable with said carts within thegondola so as to space the carts in longitudinally nested relationwithout wedging; a pair of spaced rotatable support members respectivelydisposed adjacent to said ends of the gondola mounting said chain forcircuitous movement between the ends; power means disposed within thegondola; drive means drivingly interconnecting said power means and saidrotatable support member adjacent to the closed end of the gondolamotivating the upper run of said chain in a direction toward said openend of the gondola successively individually to discharge said carts oneat a time from the gondola; and clutch means disposed between;

said drive means and said support member at the closed end of thegondola for interrupting said drive to the support member permittingunrestricted movement of said upper run of the' chain away from saidopen end of the gondola incident to the loading of the compartment withshopping carts with the carts engaging successive fingers on the chain.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said power means is a con-. tinuouslydriven electric motor, said clutch means is a normally open magneticclutch, and said control means includes a customer actuating switchdisposed externally upon said openend of the gondola having operatingconnection to said magnetic clutch for activating the same to transmitthe drive from the motor to the conveyor chain for dispensing said'cartsfrom the gondola.

3. The system of claim 2 including a limit switch in said control systemdisposed within the gondola for engagement by succeeding carts duringmovement toward said discharge opening and connected to said magneticclutch to deenergize the same for limiting the discharge to only onecart at a time from the gondola.

4. A storage and dispensing system for shopping carts comprising adisplay shelf gondola in a retail store or the like providing anelongated compartment therein adapted to receive a plurality of shoppingcarts inlongitudinally extended nested relation and including a floor, aclosed end wall, and an opposite open end wall having a cart dischargeopening therethrough; an elongated endless conveyor chain havingpredetermined upper and lower runs longitudinally extended between saidend walls of the gondola and including a plurality of spaced fingersindividually engageable with said carts to space them within the gondolain said nested relation without wedging; a pair of spaced rotatablesprockets respectively disposed adjacent to said end walls of thegondola supporting said chain for circuitous movement therebetweenimmediately above said floor; a continuously driven electric motormounted within the gondola; a speed-reducing drive mechanisminterconnecting said motor and said sprocket at the closed end of thegondola; a magnetic clutch interposed said sprocket-and saidspeed-reducing drive mechanism; a customer actuating switch disposedexteriorly upon said open end wall of the gondola and connected to saidclutch to ener gize the same to travel said upper run of the chaintoward said discharge opening to carry the carts toward and outwardlythrough the discharge opening; and a limit switch disposed within thegondola engageable by succeeding carts and having electrical connectionto said magnetic clutch to deenergize the same upon such engagement ofthe limit switch to interrupt the drive to the conveyor chain until asubsequent actuation of the customer actuating switch.

5. The system of claim 4 including a pair of elongated laterally spacedsubstantially parallel cart wheel guide tracks disposed inlongitudinally extended relation upon the floor within the gondola withsaid conveyor chain disposed substantially centrally therebetween incart-engaging relation.

1. A storage and dispensing system for shopping carts comprising anelongated product display shelf gondola as utilized in supermarkets andthe like having opposite open and closed ends and an elongated innercompartment extended therebetween for receiving a plurality of suchshopping carts therein through said open end of the gondola; a conveyordisposed within the gondola having an elongated endless chain providingpredetermined upper and lower runs; a plurality of longitudinally spacedfingers on said chain individually engageable with said carts within thegondola so as to space the carts in longitudinally nested relationwithout wedging; a pair of spaced rotatable suppOrt members respectivelydisposed adjacent to said ends of the gondola mounting said chain forcircuitous movement between the ends; power means disposed within thegondola; drive means drivingly interconnecting said power means and saidrotatable support member adjacent to the closed end of the gondolamotivating the upper run of said chain in a direction toward said openend of the gondola successively individually to discharge said carts oneat a time from the gondola; and clutch means disposed between said drivemeans and said support member at the closed end of the gondola forinterrupting said drive to the support member permitting unrestrictedmovement of said upper run of the chain away from said open end of thegondola incident to the loading of the compartment with shopping cartswith the carts engaging successive fingers on the chain.
 2. The systemof claim 1 wherein said power means is a continuously driven electricmotor, said clutch means is a normally open magnetic clutch, and saidcontrol means includes a customer actuating switch disposed externallyupon said open end of the gondola having operating connection to saidmagnetic clutch for activating the same to transmit the drive from themotor to the conveyor chain for dispensing said carts from the gondola.3. The system of claim 2 including a limit switch in said control systemdisposed within the gondola for engagement by succeeding carts duringmovement toward said discharge opening and connected to said magneticclutch to deenergize the same for limiting the discharge to only onecart at a time from the gondola.
 4. A storage and dispensing system forshopping carts comprising a display shelf gondola in a retail store orthe like providing an elongated compartment therein adapted to receive aplurality of shopping carts in longitudinally extended nested relationand including a floor, a closed end wall, and an opposite open end wallhaving a cart discharge opening therethrough; an elongated endlessconveyor chain having predetermined upper and lower runs longitudinallyextended between said end walls of the gondola and including a pluralityof spaced fingers individually engageable with said carts to space themwithin the gondola in said nested relation without wedging; a pair ofspaced rotatable sprockets respectively disposed adjacent to said endwalls of the gondola supporting said chain for circuitous movementtherebetween immediately above said floor; a continuously drivenelectric motor mounted within the gondola; a speed-reducing drivemechanism interconnecting said motor and said sprocket at the closed endof the gondola; a magnetic clutch interposed said sprocket and saidspeed-reducing drive mechanism; a customer actuating switch disposedexteriorly upon said open end wall of the gondola and connected to saidclutch to energize the same to travel said upper run of the chain towardsaid discharge opening to carry the carts toward and outwardly throughthe discharge opening; and a limit switch disposed within the gondolaengageable by succeeding carts and having electrical connection to saidmagnetic clutch to deenergize the same upon such engagement of the limitswitch to interrupt the drive to the conveyor chain until a subsequentactuation of the customer actuating switch.
 5. The system of claim 4including a pair of elongated laterally spaced substantially parallelcart wheel guide tracks disposed in longitudinally extended relationupon the floor within the gondola with said conveyor chain disposedsubstantially centrally therebetween in cart-engaging relation.